Forbidden Wish
by Solarius Scorch
Summary: Despite her successful career, 30-year-old Kagami is alone - and she doesn't take it well. Kagami's feelings concentrate on her twin sister, which eventually results in something inexplicable... Warning: chunks of lemon inside. Please enjoy.
1. Reflections

I never intended to continue writing _Warmth_, it was considered one-shot from the beginning. However, recently I realised that it could become so much more. This is the result.

This fic wouldn't have been created without extensive help from Dioxine, who practically co-authored the plot and suggested numerous details. Also many thanks to Shadowfox026, who did some excellent work as a beta reader.

In case you haven't noticed, the rating is M this time. Seriously. You probably know what the reason is. :q

* * *

_3__rd__ July 2020, Tokyo_

Kagami was usually jogging early in the morning, when the temperature was moderate and the usual humidity of Tokyo air was still bearable. It was also easier and less embarrassing to do it when everyone else did. Many people her age would run at a steady pace along the Arakawa river, while the elderly were practicing tai chi in shaded parks and squares, and occasional teenagers were zipping around on bikes and roller skates; then in the blink of an eye they would scatter to workplaces, schools and shops, leaving the pathways for the heat to reign supreme. No sane person would be exercising outside at this hour, not during summer anyway, unless they were aiming to become some sort of iron man.

Kagami did not have such plans, but today she went jogging anyway. It simply turned out that she wouldn't have time to in the morning, and she feared the consequential feeling of guilt more than the stress of working out in the afternoon sun. Still, Kagami was left gasping for air as she was climbing back to her apartment.

With one last effort, Kagami stumbled inside and closed the door, feeling a cool breeze coming from the air conditioning. Her clothes were completely soaked with sweat, and her short hair was sticking to her scalp, but she didn't mind; all she could think of at the moment was to stop her racing heart and burning lungs from trying to torture her to death. She reached to take her shoe off, but her strength finally left her and she crumbled to the floor unceremoniously.

Having gathered herself a little, Kagami started undoing her shoelaces. She knew she should get under the shower as soon as possible, but she wasn't ready to get up yet. Was she pushing herself too hard? Trying to maintain her figure was fine, but she felt like she just did something stupid; normally she didn't wear herself out so much.

Trying to get the runners off her aching feet, she glimpsed her own reflection in the long mirror she normally used to prepare for work. What she saw was the familiar face, now flustered and open-mouthed, framed with short hair that even Tsukasa instantly likened to the one sported by Nagato Yuki from the old _Suzumiya_ series. Her body was athletic and lean, something she was proud of, and her leg muscles were especially prominent in this moment of exhaustion. She looked better than any time before, which was something few thirty-year-old women could say.

The problem was, there was nobody to show it off to.

Kagami sighed, and managed to drag herself up from the floor, then to the bathroom. The day was too bright and cheerful to feel depressed, but mild depression never left Kagami these days. Well, maybe it was more of a constant feeling of emptiness, occasionally punctuated with work-related stress... She was alone, simple as that.

Fifteen minutes later, Kagami was sitting on the sofa wearing her white tracksuit, waiting for her hair to dry and smoking a cigarette. Hot water soothed her body and gave her a sense of tranquillity, but also brought her unhappy thoughts even closer to the surface. She reckoned it must have been one of these days, nothing more.

Half-consciously, she looked towards her working desk, above which hung one particular framed photo, one of the few things in her possession that dated back to her school days. Her younger self was surrounded by three other schoolgirls, all of them seemingly at the brink of bursting with laughter — perhaps except for herself — and simply radiating happiness.

The photo was ridiculously frilly, including lots of little pink hearts and a bright yellow background, but she'd always somehow felt deeply attached to it. In college, she thought of it as a touching keepsake, which she sometimes used to improve her mood if she needed; later it simply became a reminder of her cheerful, happy land of youth where she never was alone, a land lost in the seas of mundane.

Standing behind her was Miyuki, the studious and polite young lady who never seemed to be affected by anything. This was the least painful one; Kagami liked and respected Miyuki, bur they never were very close, and she hadn't, in all honesty, known her Miyuki very well. The other two were different cases though.

Konata... Konata was her best friend then, and actually the only person she could call that, ever. Yes, she was annoying and eccentric at times, but she was actually listening to what Kagami had to say and could come up with a coherent answer. The most important thing though was that Konata was simply fun to be with, someone who accepted Kagami the way she was and never ignored her feelings. She still couldn't understand how they'd fallen apart so badly after school, over matters that were ultimately trivial. They still sent each other New Year greetings (often via Tsukasa), but they both seemed reluctant to look the other one in the eye. They hadn't seen each other for almost ten years.

And finally, Tsukasa. Sweet, innocent Tsukasa, truly the closest person she'd ever had, and from the very beginning. Of course they were still pretty close, but their lives became so completely different that she felt she lost something precious in her relationship with Tsukasa. When Kagami was busy with her management career, Tsukasa married one of her former classmates and started a nice, proper family; she'd already had one boy, and was hoping for another child. Kagami usually saw them during Sunday dinners, since Tsukasa's family was living in their parents' house, and could see very well how happy and complete Tsukasa felt about her life. Kagami was happy for her too, but it was somehow painful that she lost her Tsukasa to someone else.

_What is wrong with me__ exactly?_ Kagami asked herself, not for the first time. Konata and Tsukasa have always been the ones she scorned for not being serious, and therefore at risk of not getting anywhere in lives. Now they were both married (Konata even twice actually) and as far as she could know perfectly happy with their life choices, one becoming a housewife and the other running a small manga online store, while she herself was as far from fulfilment as se could, despite her rather satisfactory and well-paid job. Was she right to criticise them in the first place? Maybe she was the one who didn't understand? Maybe she was just stupid?

Kagami forcefully extinguished her cigarette. Brooding over it all would solve nothing, it was action and common sense that always kept her going. Sure, not everything in her life was perfect, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. She needed to find something to do, and quick. Perhaps some house chores would be in order? She had gotten quite good with those over the years.

She settled on washing windows in the living room. It had already been a month since the last time.

***

Kagami was leaning against her favourite window and smoking. The view outside was really pleasant; there was a busy road shielded with soundproof screens not far from her apartment, and just behind it Arakawa river could be seen in all its glory. The river wasn't very big by any means, but the new commercial district on the far side and its image reflected in the calm waters mixed well with the greenery and bicycle tracks, creating a sense of modernity. Not many people could afford this kind of view, and certainly not many single women.

"Maybe I'm not feeling much better", Kagami said aloud, "but at least I have clean windows."

She genuinely hoped to find something else to do, but she couldn't think of anything. Finally, Kagami settled on checking her mailbox. She came downstairs and peeked inside, hoping to find her _precious_ little grey envelope, but there was none; the only thing she found was a small folder, advertising some sort of beach hotel on Shikoku. A perfectly happy family with two kids was smiling at her, partially submerged in a heart-shaped pool, while a yellow building occupied most of the background. Typical junk mail around these parts.

Kagami double-checked contents the of the folder. The place seemed pleasant enough, and despite being quite expensive it was perfectly affordable to her. _Why not take a holiday during summer?_ she thought, but quickly dismissed the idea. She only had one week of holiday per year, and she would be spending it with her family. Besides, who would she go with? Tsukasa certainly wouldn't have the time...

For some reason Kagami felt worse than before, and dragged herself back to the apartment. Feeling completely empty and unable to do anything, not even to read a book or check her email, she plopped down onto the armchair and switched the TV on.

That helped; she felt her conscience being slowly dissolved by the usual crap that dominated the TV these days. She'd never been an avid watcher, and in her opinion the average program quality deteriorated rapidly since she was a girl, but she didn't care at the moment. Kagami devoted her whole attention to some show with contestants trying their best with paper and scissors, trying to produce various sorts of paper clothing and putting it on a hostess who just stood there with a bright smile. A lively, short announcer kept throwing witty comments at their attempts, and commercial brakes seemed to chime in every five minutes or so.

_That hostess looks a bit like Tsukasa when you think about it_, thought Kagami. _I wouldn't actually mind cutting some sort of paper clothes for Tsukasa, and putting it on her like that..._

Kagami had no idea how long she was staring at this, but she snapped out of it immediately when her cell phone rang. She reached for it; the number was Tsukasa's.

Kagami felt her heart thumping. She raised the phone. "Hello? Kagami here."

"Good evening, sis!", said Tsukasa's cheerful voice. "How was your day?"

Kagami was close to saying "Not much, as always", but she felt it wouldn't be too nice. "Hello, Tsukasa. Well, it was all right. I returned from work, jogged a little, cleaned the windows in my living room, and now I'm watching TV."

"That's nice."

"Yeah, I guess... How about you, Tsukasa?"

"It was fine. I went shopping with mom, then we made some lunch, and dad was busy with the garden so I helped out, too... We're waiting for Minoru now, he should be back from work early tonight!"

"Oh. That's great."

"Anyway sis, I just wanted to ask if everything is fine about Sunday? The dinner will be starting around four, but of course you can come earlier if you want..."

Right. Sunday. Not a normal dinner this time, but a birthday party. Their thirtieth birthday...

"Oh, sure. I'll be there around noon, I'm sure you can use some help with cooking."

"Hehe, don't worry about that. But still, please come!"

"I'll be there, Tsukasa. I'll call you Sunday morning, in case we need to buy anything."

"That's a good idea.... Um, see you Sunday, then!"

"Yeah, see you. Don't exert yourself in the kitchen."

Tsukasa giggled. "Bye then, sis."

"Bye."

Even though the call was over, Kagami kept staring at the cell phone for quite some time. Her thirtieth birthday... It sounded like a death sentence. Sure, she was still young, but she knew deep down that some things cannot be undone; her life was, more or less, a failure.

And Tsukasa... She loved her so much. Back in the old days she never understood how much she loved her, but she did nonetheless. Without her, she felt incomplete, or perhaps without a purpose. She utterly missed her.

Kagami sighed and turned off the TV, now disinterested. Perhaps she should go to sleep now, but the evening was still young; she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. She wasn't even interested in getting herself drunk tonight. Hell, she should make the bed anyway.

Kagami got up to go to the bedroom, but she somehow stopped in front of the big mirror. She suddenly remembered the origins of her own name, Kagami. Her father explained to her once that according to the old beliefs, some mirrors were inhabited by gods, who would show the truth to those they deem worthy of such knowledge... or such punishment. She glared at her image.

"So my life sucks. Can you fix it, almighty goddess?", she asked bitterly. Her reflection didn't respond, only mimicking her own words.

Kagami knew that no divine power in the world could save her from herself. She understood now the true meaning of the story about mirrors: it was she, and only she, who could do anything to help her. After all, it was her own reflection that lived in the mirror. And there was nothing she could do anymore.

Kagami turned away, but at the last moment she decided to give the mirror a second look. The sun was setting, and its golden rays were flowing into the living room, both obscuring the image in the mirror and giving it an eerie glow. In Kagami's eyes, her reflection wasn't much different from how Tsukasa looked...

Intrigued by the thought, she paused to ponder it. She wasn't exactly like Tsukasa obviously, but still they were rather alike — especially now, when Kagami's hair was of similar length. When she narrowed her eyes, it was quite easy to imagine it was indeed Tsukasa .

Kagami found this thought strangely comforting, or at least attractive. She tried a few facial expressions she associated with her twin sister, and after some practice managed to convey a rather convincing image of Tsukasa. She improved it further with the right body posture, cutely slouching a little bit. She wasn't sure why she was doing this, she even felt it was a bit silly, but something pushed her forward to try harder.

The clothes... Tsukasa doesn't wear tracksuits, thought Kagami. This needs to be fixed...

Kagami carefully drew the curtains, plunging the room in relative darkness. She then opened her wardrobe and started digging. There were a few things she never wore, things that she would be embarrassed to be seen in, but that were definitely Tsukasa style. She managed to find a dark yellow summer dress with a dark green flowery pattern, reaching to about half her thigh, which she quickly changed to. She returned to the mirror and saw that her effort paid off: what she could see was closer to the original than she hoped. She was almost a spiting image of her sister.

Tsukasa... Tsukasa was everything Kagami wanted to be, and couldn't. She was warm, light-hearted, graceful, and attractive. Despite not being too concerned about her weight, she radiated some subtle aura of sensuality that made her an object of many advances... An aura Kagami was beginning to recognise quite clearly, too.

She was aware the Tsukasa she conveyed was only a poor imitation, but she was getting more fascinated with that image with every heartbeat. She was absolutely unable to explain to herself what she was doing, and why, but she paid no attention to such details for the moment. She knelt on the floor gracefully, mimicking Tsukasa's genuine smile and innocent look. She felt hot, and her limbs trembled slightly, but on the other hand she felt very much in control. It was magical; dangerous.

She wriggled her body a little, looking at her curves like she never did before. Does Minoru look at Tsukasa like that? It felt like a major violation of Tsukasa's privacy to examine "her" body like that, and it felt both terrible and wonderful...

Kagami's hands started to move around her body, while her eyes remained glued to the mirror. Even if she could think straight now, she still couldn't tell why she was so excited: was she aroused by Tsukasa? Or by the thought of being Tsukasa? Or was it something else entirely? But she wasn't thinking about this now, she was thinking about her dear sister.

Her hands were getting bolder now; she felt them caressing not just her sides and thighs, but also cupping her left breast and rubbing her neck. It felt good, but it looked even better. "Tsukasa" was slightly panting, her mouth half-open, her white panties clearly visible between her thighs and her body slowly rocking back and forth, radiating a powerful aura of dark sexuality. Nobody on Earth could resist this image, and Kagami wasn't going to anyway.

She wouldn't remember when exactly the panties would come off, but it was not a moment too soon. Kagami couldn't remember being that aroused before. Self-satisfaction certainly wasn't unfamiliar to her, but this experience exceeded every fantasy she'd had. It wasn't long before she came violently, the image of her sister burned into her mind and engulfing everything else with its dark fire.

***

After a while, Kagami dragged herself off the floor. The enormous orgasm was gone, but her mind was still dizzy from the shattering experience. She was still unable to comprehend what she did, but she understood one thing: she missed Tsukasa like never before.

Leaving her dress and underwear forgotten on the floor, Kagami entered her bedroom and sat on the bed. She lit a cigarette, and exhaled a small cloud of smoke. It was almost dark now.

"Tsukasa...", whispered Kagami. She felt abandoned and deceived; not by her sister, but the world in general. It was terrible feeling.

She finished her last cigarette of the day and lay down on the bed, not caring about finding any sleeping clothes. She was tired, really tired; she just wanted to forget everything, and especially her own existence. However, sleep wouldn't come — everything that happened that day kept whirling inside her head, denying her rest. She was simply too anxious to fall asleep now, and too concentrated on that very special person she couldn't let go of.

"Tsukasa...", she whispered again. She would see her sister the day after tomorrow, but somehow she felt it wasn't enough. Somehow it would never be enough, unless she could hold Tsukasa in her arms forever. She was fully aware of how crazy it was, but their separation burned her almost physically. Were twins meant to go through things as painful as growing up?

Kagami found herself crying. Her tears were falling on the pillow in silence, as she gripped the bed sheets with all her might. She knew she was losing it, badly, but it changed nothing; she was suffering from what could only be called acute loneliness: this empty feeling that had been accumulating inside her finally managed to manifest tonight. She didn't want to be alone; she wanted to be saved.

Kagami knew it was wrong, absurd, and childish. However, she could only withstand so much. She grabbed her cell phone and selected Tsukasa's number.

"Hello...?", came a sleepy voice.

"Tsukasa..."

"Sis? What is it?" Tsukasa sounded a bit alarmed.

"I'm... sorry to disturb you at this hour, but... I miss you, sis!", Kagami groaned, not exactly believing she was doing this.

"Sis! Are you crying?!"

"Uh..."

"Are you allright?!"

Kagami didn't respond; she couldn't lie at the moment, but she couldn't make her sister even more worried either.

"Sis... I'll be there in half an hour. Wait for me, please!"

Kagami really wanted to actually say something, but before she came up with a coherent response, the call was disconnected.


	2. Big Sister, Little Sister

Took me ages, but here it is! Many thanks for your reviews guys, I hope this will keep you satisfied for a while. (Oh, and ArmorBlade: I personally think Kagami looks great with short hair, but I'll let you know that you'll get to see her old hairstyle again.)

I generally try to avoid unnecessary Japanese in this fanfic (that's why I use "sis" instead of "onee-chan, etc.). However, I decided to leave _Itadakimasu_, because there is no viable equivalent in English, and all attempts at translation I've seen were more or less lame.

Again, many thanks to my excellent beta Shadowfox026. Seriously, if you get the chance to get writing help from her, go for it — even if she demands your soul in exchange, it'll be worth it.

* * *

_3__rd__ July 2020, Tokyo_

Kagami was still trembling from the emotional shock that gripped her so tightly. She was recovering now though and another kind of anxiety started taking hold of her: a healthy, normal state of panic.

She has just called Tsukasa. She made her worried, probably giving hints that she was going to hurt herself. Besides, she could not present a rational explanation on why she called in the first place, or what exactly she wanted from her sister. Now Tsukasa was on her way here, most likely having alarmed the entire house before she left. This spelled trouble, and could damage Kagami's reputation at the very least.

Still lying in the dark, she lit another cigarette. _Will Tsukasa come alone?_ If Minoru comes too, or indeed anyone else, it will be even more awkward. How would she explain it? Say that she felt lonely? Damn it, she wasn't five anymore! That would sound ridiculous, and the image of her that probably was already imprinted in her family would change from weird to downright crazy. She would never live it down. _If Tsukasa comes alone though, it wouldn't be half as bad…_ Tsukasa would understand; she had a heart of gold. But still, she would be very worried as Kagami had never pulled off anything remotely like that, even when she actually had been five. If Minoru was with her, or their father, or whoever... Apart from everything else, she wouldn't like anybody see her in her present state, she knew she probably looked terrible.

Kagami lit yet another one cigarette, forgetting she'd barely finished the previous one. _What have I done, what have I done... And right after I did _that_ while thinking of Tsukasa, in a way..._ She didn't even feel ready to start pondering that yet. _But Tsukasa will be here nonetheless..._ This was a cheerful thought, a pleasant thought. God, she must have been really lonely to wait for Tsukasa so impatiently, but she suspected that it was not so simple. She didn't spare it any further thought at the moment, instead concentrating on analysing the situation and finding the best solution. She'd really done it this time, but hopefully it wouldn't make her lose her face... _But what if...? and Tsukasa..._

A sudden doorbell sound startled her, and only then she realised she was still in the nude. _What's happening to me?_, she groaned inwardly, trying to get back to the present moment as soon as she could. She set her eyes on the only piece clothing in her view, the discarded yellow dress, and put it on as quickly as she could while hopping towards the door. The doorbell sounded again, so Kagami straightened her dress, prepared for the worst, and opened the door slightly.

Tsukasa was standing there, dressed in a black jacket, white blouse, and checked skirt and she was gripping an oversized First-Aid kit. The mismatch of blouse buttons told Kagami that Tsukasa had been rushed. She was looking very serious; and she was alone, thank God.

"Sis... Are you okay?", she asked quietly but firmly.

Kagami fully opened the door and simply caught her sister in a strong hug, practically dragging her inside. She felt Tsukasa's free arm wrapping around her in response. She breathed a delicate scent of Tsukasa's hair and skin.

After a moment, she let go of her younger sister and closed the door, again plunging the apartment into darkness. She looked at her intensely and Tsukasa returned her look, slightly confused but relieved to see Kagami alive and well.

"Sorry about that call, Tsukasa...", mumbled Kagami. "I shouldn't have done it. You must have been worried."

"That's okay, sis...", Tsukasa responded, and gave Kagami an apprehensive look. "Uh, are you really okay?"

"Yes... I'm fine. I just... felt alone." Kagami felt very embarrassed about this, but she decided to drop any pretence. She hoped that Tsukasa would understand, somehow.

Tsukasa nodded; she still looked a bit worried, but more relaxed than a moment ago. She took her black jacket off, then proceeded to remove her shoes.

"Uh... do you have electricity problems?"

"...No", Kagami replied flatly.

Tsukasa cast her another worried look, but didn't press the matter. "You were crying...", she whispered instead, and her look hardened a bit. She put her first aid kit on a shelf, and took a small step towards Kagami.

Tsukasa wasn't accustomed to taking care of her older sibling like this, but it didn't take much to realise what a mess Kagami was tonight. So Tsukasa did the only thing she could: she hugged Kagami again, and wiped some moisture off her cheeks.

"Don't worry sis, I'm here. Um... are you hungry?", she asked with a gentle smile.

Kagami blinked in surprise. "Hungry? Well… I guess I could have something to eat...", she admitted, still blushing slightly.

Tsukasa gently let go of her and simply proceeded to the kitchen, now radiating an aura of a happy someone who knew what they were doing. _Was she always so strong?_ Kagami asked herself, _or was it motherhood which awakened this side of her?_

Kagami's kitchen was soon bustling with activity. Tsukasa found some shrimp in the fridge, boiled water, and washed some rice, humming to herself softly. She obviously took her idea quite seriously; Kagami could only stand in the doorway and watch her.

Tsukasa was beautiful.

Seemingly not noticing Kagami's stare, Tsukasa got into her usual habit of casual chitchat about things at home. She talked about how adorable Matsuri's kids were, about Inori's family new house in Kobe, about some birthday party preparations that they were not supposed to know about... As always, it helped Kagami to relax, even though she suspected that Tsukasa's ramblings were not entirely random, no matter if Tsukasa had it planned before coming here or not. She did her best to maintain the conversation, asking Tsukasa questions about this or that, while her sister was bustling around merrily, and the kitchen was filling with the delicious aroma of cooked seafood.

"All right, sis, it's ready!", announced Tsukasa half an hour later, dividing the portion between two plates (Tsukasa's was considerably smaller). There were shrimp and several types of vegetables, and a few rice balls too. It definitely looked delicious, so Kagami sat at the kitchen table more enthusiastically that she would have expected. She remembered to keep her legs closely together though, as not wearing anything under her dress suddenly made her feel really awkward.

Tsukasa smiled at her encouragingly. "_Itadakimasu!_"

"_Itadakimasu!_", Kagami responded, then took a bite of the pinkish meat. "Tsukasa, this is fantastic." _Did she even have this kind of stuff around her kitchen?_

"Thanks, sis! This is nothing really, I just took whatever I could find."

"Still, that's very good. I wonder how you manage to manage your weight with that kind of food..." Tsukasa's body was not as fit as Kagami's, but she definitely wasn't fat.

"Oh, I don't exactly eat like this everyday", laughed Tsukasa.

"That's right, I usually come on Sundays...", muttered Kagami, reaching for an onigiri. If there was a perfect rice ball contest, this one would be a good candidate.

They continued like this, making small talk and eating, lost in a world of salty aroma and clicking chopsticks. They were almost through their plates, when Tsukasa suddenly jumped. "Oh my, I need to call home! They must be worried about you."

"Oh, right..." Again, Kagami felt a sting of remorse, but found no words to express how she felt.

Tsukasa produced a small pink cell phone from her pocket and hurried out of the kitchen. After a while, her voice could be heard from the living room explaining that Kagami was not feeling well, but most of the details were lost to her sister. Not that she wanted to hear it anyway, she already felt quite ashamed about the evening.

Having finished the meal, Kagami put both plates in the washer and waited patiently for Tsukasa to return. Her sister took a good few minutes over the phone but finally she returned to the kitchen, putting her phone back to her pocket.

Kagami sighed. "Tsukasa, I'm truly sorry I caused you so much trouble. I don't know what's gotten into me tonight. I made you leave the family and come to my place for no good reason... Even though I know you have many commitments. I really shouldn't have."

Tsukasa approached her and gently put her hand on Kagami's shoulder. "Don't worry, sis. You're important to me, too. And you always took care of me, when I wasn't, umm... very wise..." She didn't seem too embarrassed though, as she gave Kagami another warm smile.

"And... what about you going back home? You shouldn't be wandering around this late... I'll get you a taxi, okay?"

"Oh, don't worry, sis", Tsukasa waved dismissively, "I said I probably wouldn't be home tonight. So I can stay in your place, if you want me to."

_If I want her to? Hell, I do._

"Oh, right...", Kagami nodded, "Actually, I wouldn't mind. Thanks..." She suddenly felt her eyes stinging again. Tsukasa must have spotted this, and she gave Kagami another affectionate hug. Kagami almost whimpered, and held on to her sister.

They stayed like this for perhaps a minute, but Kagami was oblivious to the flow of time. She sank into Tsukasa, hoping this wouldn't end. She couldn't bring herself to break that contact, and when Tsukasa finally moved away, Kagami did the only thing she could think of to remain in touch.

She started tickling her sister.

"Aiiiiii!", squealed Tsukasa, as Kagami attacked her sides mercilessly, just like when they'd been five or so. Tsukasa's resistance obviously hadn't improved since then, as she was only a giggling, helpless prey to Kagami's attack. Soon Kagami started giggling herself, nimbly dodging Tsukasa's weak attempt at retaliation directed at her belly. They almost fell over when Tsukasa, laughing like crazy, managed to get away from her sister and sped out of the kitchen like a bullet.

Kagami brushed her short hair out of her eyes. "Just wait, you...!", she threatened, and followed Tsukasa into the living room, then to the bedroom where her victim was certainly hiding. Before leaving, she turned off the lights in the kitchen, plunging the apartment back into darkness; which is why she didn't manage to dodge a pillow which hit her face as soon as she entered the room.

Laughing, she held the pillow like a makeshift weapon and descended upon Tsukasa, who was sitting on her bed, also splitting her sides now. She managed to knock her over and prodded her with the pillow a few times, extorting a few more squeals of delight. Having secured her victory, she put the pillow aside and took a deep breath, still giggling a little. They were both gasping now and their faces — especially Tsukasa's — were flushed with laughter.

"Whew...", said Kagami after a moment, "that sure was fun. I think I needed that."

Tsukasa stretched on the bed. It was pretty dark here, but Kagami could see her bright eyes pretty clearly. She felt... moved, somehow; she felt much more in control now but also strangely apprehensive about the situation. Still, she didn't want to stop this physical contact with her twin.

"Tsukasa, you were probably walking around all day. Give me your foot. Don't worry, I won't tickle you..."

"Oh, okay", came a quiet, but resolute response. Kagami withdrew towards the end of the bed and took Tsukasa's leg, which was clad in a white stocking, to which a few crumbs had stuck when she had been cooking. She gently slid it off Tsukasa's foot and started massaging it. It was warm, and seemed very clean; Tsukasa had obviously came here straight from bed. Why exactly she was wearing something that elegant (and white panties to match, which Kagami could see pretty well from her position), while the rest of her clothes must have been put on hastily, was something Kagami did not think about right now.

Tsukasa purred with pleasure as Kagami's palms were running back and forth, stroking her skin and squeezing the small bones. Kagami was no expert, but she found this surprisingly easy; Tsukasa's foot was too cute not to know what to do.

"Give me your other foot, now", said Kagami softly. Tsukasa obliged with enthusiasm, shifting her weight a little and resting the foot that Kagami massaged on the bed. Kagami resumed her work, aware of how relaxed Tsukasa was becoming. She was getting pretty relaxed herself.

After a few minutes, Tsukasa broke the silence. "Umm, would you like me to do the same to you, sis?", she asked casually.

Kagami suddenly felt a bit shy. Doing this to Tsukasa was fine, but being on the receiving end was... somehow more meaningful. Still, there wasn't any good reason not to agree, and she certainly wouldn't mind. "Sure, why not."

They switched positions, with Kagami laying on the bed and Tsukasa kneeling by her feet. Kagami soon felt Tsukasa's nimble fingers stroking her toes, sole, and heel; those fingers were slipping between her toes, too, which felt a bit embarrassing yet insanely good. Kagami gasped with rapture, unable to hold back completely; her worries were very far away now, chased away by the strange intimacy that was building up between them.

"Could you roll on your stomach, please?", Tsukasa asked matter-of-factly. Slightly surprised, Kagami obliged, not uttering a word. She soon felt Tsukasa's hands massaging her calves with expertise. _Did she learn it in medical school?_, Kagami thought, _or was it… at home? Or maybe she's just a natural?_ She felt too good to care though at the moment. Still, she let a nervous sigh when her sister's hands moved to the bottom part of her thighs, just below the line of her skirt.

"Wow, sis, you're really tense", said Tsukasa's gentle voice. Indeed, Kagami was aware that her body was slightly shaking. "Would you mind if I massage your back?"

Kagami lifted her body slightly and unbuttoned her dress down to her navel, then allowed the material to slide down to her waist. Having freed her arms, she returned to her previous position, her back completely exposed. Once it happened, she suddenly found her position much less embarrassing than she had expected; she felt relaxed now, anticipating. She felt Tsukasa kneeling over her thighs, and with slight surprise she noticed that her sister's skirt was gone, probably to ease her movements.

Kagami felt Tsukasa's hands resting on her shoulders, then sliding down her shoulder blades, locating and taking thorough care of every single muscle. It was a slow, unrushed process, which was gradually making her more relaxed, focused and conscious. She couldn't remember the last time when her choleric temperament had been so mitigated, but it must had been a great moment.

After some time passed, she also grew unusually bold.

"Mmh, Tsukasa… You know it's all about massaging the muscles, right?", she said casually, and even smirked.

"Uh, yes?", came Tsukasa's agreeable response.

"Then, I guess you know where those muscles are?"

Tsukasa giggled. "You're right. I was getting there, anyway."

She grabbed Kagami's dress and carefully slid it down her hips, then all the way down to her feet, and off. Kagami knew she should be really concerned now, or at least slightly uncomfortable, but somehow she didn't. It was normal to get naked for a massage after all, and it felt good too.

Really, really good… When Tsukasa's hands grabbed her buttocks, tenderly but undeniably firmly, Kagami let an actual moan. Forbidden visions, kept more or less in check until now, began swirling in her mind. The fact she was both so calmed and concentrated now didn't help; actually, it seemed to amplify these thoughts and experiences. It was Tsukasa, wonderful Tsukasa, and her beautiful hands were this close to her privacy, both in the general and physical sense. And these hands… they weren't shy at all.

As Tsukasa was tending to her buttocks and thighs, Kagami felt something breaking inside her. It didn't hurt, though; she felt strangely disconnected from reality, yet entirely in control. She knew perfectly well what she wanted now.

"Tsukasa", she tried to sound casually but her voice was dark and ardent, "would you like to swap?"

"Oh, why not… Um, I need to get undressed, right?"

"How else would I do it?", answered Kagami with a hint of impatience.

Tsukasa quickly unbuttoned her shirt and slid it down, exposing her back to Kagami. Her skin seemed pale in the dark, almost angelic. She laid down on the bed, so open and trusting, dressed only in her fancy white panties. She was radiating warmth and secrets.

Kagami's hands approached her sister's skin almost on their own. They slid from her neck to her shoulders, then down her back and around her hips. She carefully massaged Tsukasa's back muscles, taking her time to learn and appreciate this body. Tsukasa was so different tonight, yet so familiar; not only because Kagami had always known her, but also because she was so damn similar to herself… but different. Yes, it somehow made sense… or rather, making sense became irrelevant.

Kagami's hands continued working on their own, weaving a delicate but strong flow between her and Tsukasa. To Kagami, it felt like this force was uniting them and binding them together in a completely new way. Emboldened by this feeling, Kagami casually took Tsukasa's panties off, fully revealing her curvy physique. Then she rubbed the small of her back, and finally grabbed her buttocks eagerly, extorting a surprised, delightful gasp from her sister. Not wanting to hurt that precious bond, she quickly withdrew to the hips, caressing that delightful shape.

Her caresses soon extended to the sides of Tsukasa's body, and finally she slid her palms under Tsukasa's stomach; by reaching a bit too low, she realised with mild surprise that her sister seemed to be completely shaven. To Kagami, it somehow made Tsukasa even cuter, despite being almost kinky.

"Uh… Sis… please, not there…", Tsukasa protested weakly. Kagami's hand quickly returned to a slightly more proper place, somewhere on Tsukasa's thigh. Tsukasa seemed happy enough, and she fell back into that blissful, relaxed smile that Kagami learned to associate with her sister being really happy. It warmed her heart and also made her blood rush.

Kagami kept massaging and caressing Tsukasa's back and thighs, taking in all that bliss they both felt at the moment. However, with every second she was becoming more and more certain on what to do. Finally her hands moved again under Tsukasa's stomach, and she lifted Tsukasa's hips, bringing her to a kneeling position. Then she placed a soft kiss on her buttock, and inhaled Tsukasa's delicate scent.

Kagami continued on kissing Tsukasa's warm skin, slowly moving towards the other buttock. She expected some protest, but she heard none this time; so she simply continued her caresses, until she was confident that no protest would ever come. Her palms held Tsukasa's hips shamelessly and firmly now, like they were preventing her sister from getting away. Now she felt more than Tsukasa's warmth and softness; it was the scent of her womanhood.

Driven by impulse, Kagami lowered herself even more and buried her face between Tsukasa's thighs. Her tongue started probing carefully, while her hands kept Tsukasa's thighs apart. Tsukasa made no sign of resistance; instead, her loud gasp could be heard, encouraging Kagami even more. Her lips soon joined her tongue in caressing and nibbling on Tsukasa's soft flesh. Kagami's mouth was roaming freely and greedily around Tsukasa's most intimate area, getting more and more of Tsukasa, of her overwhelming _presence_. Miraculously, Tsukasa responded by bending her body even more, exposing herself to Kagami's caresses. Once in a while, she gave a distinct moan; her voice was trembling, yet somehow serene.

Kagami didn't want to be in a hurry, but she couldn't help but keep licking and sucking and Tsukasa apparently couldn't stop moaning. Kagami kept her eyes closed now; she only cared about what she could taste, feel, and hear. Her own body was burning, but it didn't matter: she only wanted this wonderful ritual to continue, to stay this close to Tsukasa forever.

Suddenly, Tsukasa's moans got louder, and within a few seconds she gave an actual scream, soft but untamed. She collapsed on the bed, shivering; suddenly, she looked so feverish and vulnerable that for a moment Kagami froze, terrified that something horrible had happened. However, after a moment Tsukasa casually rolled over in the dark, smiling at Kagami with her entrancing eyes.

Kagami felt her terror about what she'd just did fade away in an instant. Those eyes… They made everything simple and pure, even now. They were almost frightening.

"Hey, sis…", Tsukasa whispered, "would you like to kiss me…?"

Kagami could only nod. She raised her body and kneeled on the bed, suddenly overcome again with uncertainty, her old fear of not being able to kiss properly. Tsukasa probably felt or guessed it, as she kneeled opposite to Kagami and smiled encouragingly.

"Don't worry. Lick your lips a little first…"

Despite being completely intoxicated with Tsukasa, Kagami couldn't help but notice that their traditional roles were oddly reversed. _That's right,_ she remembered,_ I'm the clueless one here… And she, she's the experienced one… And God, she's so gorgeous too._

She obeyed gladly and licked her lips, taking in Tsukasa's naked form in front of her. Tsukasa nodded brightly, and placed her hands on Kagami's shoulders; Kagami could only respond by embracing Tsukasa, bringing her closer.

They lips met rather fiercely, which took Kagami by surprise, but her mind immediately dissolved; she lost all other senses, aware solely of the sensation on her lips. Tsukasa's little mouth was almost overwhelming, but gentle; she definitely _was_ experienced. Kagami's half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, when she felt Tsukasa's tongue sliding inside between her teeth and tickling her own.

They kept kissing each other slowly and passionately, and deeper than Kagami had ever thought possible, or realistic. Kagami still felt some residual embarrassment about what she just did to Tsukasa — especially seeing how casually Tsukasa was exploring her mouth right now — but she didn't mind; in fact, she found it alarmingly pleasant. She wasn't worried about anything anymore, she had Tsukasa. Right here, in her arms, on her lips. Very close…

Finally they slowly descended on the bed, with Tsukasa landing on top. She kept kissing Kagami, but her palms started tracing Kagami's body more, quickly getting to her right breast and making Kagami moan rather loudly. Tsukasa's fingers started playing with Kagami's nipple, while Tsukasa's lips moved to Kagami's neck. _Oh God, I'm in heaven_, Kagami thought.

After a moment of twirling and moaning, Tsukasa raised her head and looked Kagami straight in the eyes. "Sis", she said softly but seriously, "do you want me to do that to you…?"

Flustered Kagami didn't bother with an elaborated answer; again, she simply nodded, not trusting her voice at all.

Tsukasa nodded as well in response, and moved her hand down Kagami's body, slowly, teasingly but without any delays. Kagami felt a palm that wasn't hers between her thighs, and soon she felt a gentle touch that made her mind explode. She suddenly understood that she lived for this very moment; all her life was simply waiting for Tsukasa to touch her. As inexplicable as it was, she felt more than ready.

Kagami was laying there moaning, completely immobilized and overwhelmed by Tsukasa's caresses. The only thing she could do was to put her own hand on Tsukasa's soft hair, when Tsukasa was kissing her neck and simultaneously rubbing her most intimate place. Kagami's body and mind was already dissolving, giving in to the enormous wave that was rising inside her, filling her with blinding whiteness. Finally, as soon as Tsukasa's fingers grabbed her more directly, Kagami exploded and vanished in that light…

…She was descending from unimaginable heights that was her orgasm, slowly regaining consciousness. She was still screaming and shaking, but her arms were tightly wrapped around a warm body… Tsukasa's body. Tsukasa wasn't moving her hand any more, but it was still there, just like she was afraid to remove it.

Yet, when Kagami started taking in the sight of Tsukasa's face, her sister didn't seem frightened. She was smiling slightly, in a way Kagami hasn't seen for a long time… if ever.

"Good night, sis", whispered Tsukasa, and rested her head just under Kagami's chin. Kagami loosened her grip and held her sister protectively.

"Good night, Tsukasa", she whispered hoarsely, closing her eyes again. Soon she was getting drawn into Tsukasa's heartbeat, which she could clearly feel under her own breast. Within a few minutes, Tsukasa was asleep.

* * *

Tickling: providing your default option for opening an erotic scene since was created. :) Seriously, it was only after I wrote this scene when I realised it. It's fun however, so I don't care (and I doubt you do).

And if you think that's the end… you're in for a surprise. We're just getting started! ;)


	3. Like Old Times

Welcome again and thanks for all the positive reviews! This is what drives me to continue, just like most fanfic writers I guess.

Today's gratuitious Japanese I decided to use is _dojikko_. It means a girl who is clumsy and scatter-brained, and therefore considered cute. It's hard to find an English equivalent, so I didn't want to try too hard.

As always, thanks go to Dioxine for extensive help with the plot, and to my wonderful beta Shadowfox026. This time I would also like to say thanks to Zokusho, whose thoroughly entertaining fics helped me start writing _Lucky Star_ stuff. (Also, from Zokusho's works I stole the idea of Tsukasa becoming a nurse and Konata a manga dealer; it was just perfect selection for both, so I couldn't resist.)

* * *

_4__th__ July 2020, Tokyo_

Kagami's apartment was filled with light of yet another late afternoon. The sun was setting above the Arakawa river and the walkways were crowded with cheerful, noisy pedestrians. It was a perfect day for a stroll: not too hot, but reasonably sunny. The air was carrying scents of the river, swept by gentle winds that blew over the northern Tokyo.

Kagami herself was standing in her favourite window, gazing at the serene scenery while gripping her t-shirt with both hands. It was a bad habit she had picked up long ago, which seemed to overcome her in times of extreme stress, like before important exams or when she felt her professional reputation threatened. She normally fought it by chain smoking, but today she'd had enough of that; she felt like an old chimney. What had happened earlier made her feel a little better, if more frightened.

Tsukasa had left in a rush pretty early in the morning, not uttering a word about what had happened the previous night, but not exactly denying it. It had left Kagami completely dumbfounded yet relieved. She couldn't have known how to deal with this situation; honestly, who could? So she'd simply gotten up, made herself some breakfast and decided not to think about it before finishing her five-hour shift.

However, it had turned out to be much harder than she had thought. She tried to go on with her business as normal, processing requests and interacting with subordinate workers, but once in a while she had a flashback so strong that she'd forgotten where and who she was, only to find herself gazing into nothing or being asked if she had been listening. After that she would react with irritation, which didn't made her feel any better. Nearing the end of the shift she felt she would have exploded and so needed help.

Using the phone number Tsukasa had given her at some point, she called Konata.

Thinking back, she couldn't fathom why she had called a person she hadn't seen in years, wasn't on the best terms with and didn't even consider appropriate for anything… anything serious. She had somehow called Konata anyway, managed to throw a few pleasantries at her and asked if she could meet her that afternoon in a café for a reunion. Konata had been surprisingly positive — not that surprisingly, considering her sanguinic personality — and immediately agreed, saying it would be great to "relive the old days", as she put it. Since everything had been set, Kagami had rushed to the place where she would meet Konata, wondering what in the world she was getting herself into this time.

Just like in the old days, she had to wait a few minutes for Konata to arrive. She had been really nervous, both because of what happened with Tsukasa and the fact she had been going to make up with Konata. She almost gave a squeak once she heard the familiar "Yo!" behind her.

Konata still had proven to be her usual self, just much more... classy. She had been exactly the same height as Kagami had remembered and she hadn't seemed to worry about her hairstyle too much, just like in "the old days". However, she had been wearing quite expensive (and trendy) beige combats over a pair of black sneakers, as well as a brown corduroy jacket that had been showing her shamelessly white t-shirt. The most noticeable part of her attire had been her unshakeable aura of confidence.

Obviously.

After her usual greeting, Konata casually settled on the opposite chair, started sipping her coffee and asked a few questions about Kagami's life. Having had received a few awkward responses, she gladly assumed the role of a storyteller and started throwing Kagami various facts about her family, marriage and online manga shop business.

She had gone on. And on. And on. Perhaps she was feeling like she had to make up for the lost time, or perhaps she had simply felt the need to fill the conversational space or whatever, but she just wouldn't shut up. Kagami had been listening to this, at the same time trying to keep her inner turmoil in check, but she had finally snapped when Konata had been telling some semi-embarrassing story about dealing with a recent customer...

"And I've just had sex with Tsukasa", she had said irritably, shutting Konata up for good, which had been a feat in itself.

She then got out of the café, leaving dumbstruck Konata behind.

Now she was sitting by her window, watching the day slowly fade away. She wasn't exactly angry or sad, she was... feeling terribly down. Though for some strange reason she felt still considerably better than before she had revealed the truth to Konata. It felt like some huge weight had been taken off her back. What she felt was more stoic resignation than that sheer terror. It wasn't that Konata was particularly good at cheering people up or being empathetic, she was just… weird enough to accept this fact easier than most people. Also, despite her mischievous attitude, Konata had always been able to keep important secrets. At least for a while.

_What do I do now?_, she asked herself. Her _precious_ grey envelope still hadn't been delivered. Those kind of movies, while pretty normal in the West, were still hard to come by in Japan and she doubted she could have gotten it without her privileges. Being a regular customer of porn industry was of course very embarassing, but she had gotten used to that, since nobody knew about it. She had always been a visualizer and she had been living alone for a long, long time. Not that she was that fond of masturbation this day...

A sudden doorbell startled her. _Is it Tsukasa?_, she thought immediately; the very thought was frightening. After she hurried to the door and opened it, she saw Konata standing there, looking at her with apprehension. Her short friend was wearing exactly the same clothes as before and it was evident that she hadn't been home since their short meeting.

"Kagamin", she said straight away, "did I hear what I think I heard?"

Kagami hesitated for a split second, but gave in. "Yes", she answered gravely, "I slept with Tsukasa." She stared at Konata dejectedly.

"Holy... I mean, that was unexpected", said Konata. "But thanks for telling me. I mean, it's really something, right Kagamin?"

"Yes!", Kagami felt she was losing her grip, "I slept with my own sister! It's not exactly nothing, you know!"

Konata stopped gazing at her stoically and took a look around. "Um, Kagamin, it's none of my business and it's your house after all, but I think you shouldn't be yelling so much."

"Gah...! Right, come in."

Once inside, Konata quickly removed the shoes off her tiny feet. "Wow. I mean, wow. I would never, ever thought that you'd do something like that... That's, like, epic!"

"Excuse me? What... do you mean?"

"I mean it's completely off the scale! Not something you see everyday, or even on TV! Kagamin, I'm really, really impressed."

To Kagami, it was such an outlandish claim that she didn't know how to react. So she let Konata continue, staring at her blankly.

"I mean, I've always thought this kind of thing only happens in manga and stuff. And now, my Kagamin comes up and saying she did something like that. This is... like a religious experience." She was smiling in that special way that only appeared when she acquired some rare collection item.

Kagami examined the small-framed but already thirty years old woman before her and sighed. "You'll never change. Well, come and sit down."

For some reason they moved from the small anteroom to the kitchen, not the salon. Dishes from yesterday's supper were still piled up on the counter, since Kagami hadn't been in the mood for washing up, but otherwise it was pretty clean. Konata took it in approvingly.

"Not bad, Kagamin. It seems you know how to look after a house after all", she said and plopped down on the same chair that Kagami had sat on yesterday.

"Why thank you for your observation", Kagami responded with a not-so-slight hint of sarcasm. She moved over to the counter to boil some water. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yeah, why not. I mostly drink coffee now, but I've had enough for the day... Hmm, I guess you should open the window, it's hard to breathe in here."

"What? Oh." _I guess you're still not a smoker_, thought Kagami. _Of course, Konata is above such mundane things._ With a slight pang of embarrassment she opened the window, letting in some warm, fresh, slightly damp air.

Kagami sat at the table, meeting the gaze of emerald eyes. She suddenly felt uncomfortable; not about the whole Tsukasa _issue_, but the fact that she was facing Konata after so much time passed. In spite of what she had said a moment ago, was this woman the same person she used to know? Or even similar?

"So how's your business?", she asked casually to avert this feeling. She almost hoped that Konata would complain about something just like before and then Kagami would be able to lecture her properly. _Wow, I'm slipping back into our usual routine rather quickly_, she thought. It was... a bit embarrassing.

As expected, Konata gave an overly melancholic sigh. "Well, the market is not what it used to be. I miss the old days, the Comiket, the independent doujin circles... Now everything is getting too commercial. I mean some of it is really good, but I feel that the diversity of content suffers... But we can only blame the young public, who's straying from the true otaku path far too much." Konata saw Kagami's expression and added, "But I must say I'm doing quite fine, money-wise. The sales have gone up since last year and I'm even thinking of getting some staff to answer emails and the like."

"Oh, that's good. And... how is it at home?"

"It's okay. We both work a lot, I mean my husband and me, so we don't see each other that much. We can't get tired of each other", Konata smiled.

"I see. Uh, what does he do, actually? You were saying he was some kind of linguist?"

"A phonologist, it's a special kind. He basically studies sounds that humans can make and how they are used to create speech. This sounds easy, but it's rather complicated if you ask me. Even I don't understand much of it, it mostly deals with foreign languages and strange symbols, and stuff. But he's really into it, he's gotten a PhD already."

"It's almost as if he was another otaku", said Kagami half-jokingly.

"No, it's totally different! But I guess I understand where you're coming from. Takeo has the passion for what he does. He's a great guy really."

"He sounds like a reasonable person. Someone you can talk to about various things. Unlike your first husband..."

Kagami remembered that Seiga guy since before she had lost contact with her friend; Konata had picked him up during some anime convention. He was admittedly much more handsome than a stereotypical otaku, but didn't make a very good impression on Kagami: a nice guy, but not very bright and rather crude, and most of all seemed a little too... soft. When she had heard from Tsukasa that Konata had gotten divorced, she had actually been glad.

"I remember you didn't like him much", noted Konata, just as if she could read Kagami's thoughts.

"Not exactly", Kagami replied, "I just thought he didn't suit you. He was rather dumb and had no spine. I guess he was just immature… Your father loved him though, if I remember correctly."

Konata cackled. "He just loved lecturing him and acting cool. I guess he wanted a son after all."

Kagami smiled as well. She felt like those years apart had never happened, like it was just another afternoon with Konata. She had always been prone to easily forgetting why she was hanging around with the bluenette, despite her unusual hobbies and occasional annoying behaviour. She still couldn't comprehend why Konata's presence was so soothing, but she was sure she had been right to call her.

"So, are you planning any kids yet?", she asked.

"Uh... not really", Konata aswered flatly. Then she glanced towards the counter. "So what about the tea, Kagamin?"

"Oh no", Kgami groaned, "I've completely forgotten. What is wrong with me lately?"

Konata snickered. "You're turning into a real _dojikko_, Kagamin."

"Am not!", Kagami responded instinctively and stood up. "I'll take care of that tea."

"No! Wait, don't bother. How about we go out instead? I feel like doing something together."

"Well... We could, I guess. Where do you want to go, see a movie?"

"Why not. Do you have anything in mind?"

"Uh, no. Not really."

"Well then..."

From her pocket Konata produced a rather impressive-looking cell phone, which looked rather big in her tiny palm. For a moment, she was clicking on it like crazy; finally she announced, "I think there's something I'd like to see."

* * *

It was already dark when they left the cinema; the pavement was mostly deserted save for a few party goers, but the traffic was still rather intense for a Saturday evening. Kagami didn't pay much attention anyway, still under the influence of the slasher movie they'd just finished, just like it had been years ago. She felt relaxed and happy as they engaged in vigorous conversation about the film, recounting the most memorable scenes and laughing at each other's silly remarks. She was still in high spirits when they reached the nearby subway station and she didn't want to part with her rediscovered friend.

"Whew, that was fun. I don't feel like going home yet", stated Konata, speaking her thoughts again.

"Well, what else would you like to do then?" asked Kagami, pleasantly surprised.

"Hmm..." Konata looked around, then skipped to a fake western rampart separating the street from the valley. „Let's go swim in the river!"

"What! Konata, you... can't be serious, can you?"

"What, are you too embarrassed?", Konata smiled her usual smile. „I'd certainly like to see that." She turned her back towards the low wall and stretched her tiny body, yawning and ignoring Kagami's irritated look. Then she looked at her and smiled more genuinely. „Just kidding, and it's probably cold like hell anyway. So, do you have another idea?"

"Well... How about you stay in my place for a while? I'll make you that tea I owe you."

„All right! But we're not just drinking tea. Let's get some refreshment."

Kagami's apartment was only about half a mile away, so they walked together in the flashing lights of late evening traffic. They bought a six-pack in a convenience store and a moment later they were at Kagami's door.

* * *

They were sitting in the kitchen again, occupying the same seats as before. Konata skillfully tossed her empty beer can into the already full bin and casually opened another one. She also tossed one to Kagami who was sitting in the same chair as before, cradling her empty container. They both opened their new cans — Kagami's was slightly shaken, so some of the foamy liquid ended on her fingers — and took a sip, not breaking the silence that had lasted for a long while.

Kagami swallowed and gave a long sigh. "I think I really needed that. I mean, to unwind. Sometimes it's just good for you."

"Mmm, mmm!", Konata nodded enthusiastically. "Nothing like chilling out with your good friend, discussing your love life in saucy details!"

"Hey! I won't discuss it in details!", Kagami protested violently.

Konata smiled mischievously. "I see you're not shy about your affair at all, only about your privacy. I think we've got some progress here."

Instead of lashing out as her instincts were telling her, Kagami took a moment to think about it. "Well, maybe you're right. I kinda forgot what happened for a while…" Staring at her drink, she gave another sigh, this one much less blissful than the one before. "But it's not okay. It's really… bad."

"I think it's kinda awesome, especially if it's you and Tsukasa. No, that's… beyond awesome. But I guess it might cause problems."

Kagami stared at the overfilling kitchen sink, pondering her response. "Problems you say? I can't even fathom what will happen from now on, but it's going to be terrible on everyone. It's all my fault, too." She took another sip, just to give herself a few seconds to think. "Of course I would never do this if I was sane. But I think… I think I love her." _So I'm not sane_, she added to herself.

Konata was just looking at her with her unflinching green eyes, playing with her beer can.

"What? Have you ever loved anyone, Konata?", Kagami asked impatiently, turning back to her friend.

Konata blinked. "You know, I'm a married woman. Do you think I would have married if I hadn't been in love?"

Kagami hung her head. "Yeah… Sorry, Konata. I shouldn't have said that."

"Don't worry about it, Kagamin. Yeah, I think I've been in love."

"You think? How can you not be sure of it?"

"Oh well… As I said, Takeo is a great guy, very nice and bright, and he really cares about… stuff. I would never want to be separated from him."

"I see", muttered Kagami, realizing that the kind of love that Konata was talking about wasn't what she had in mind. _I must be really sick_, she thought matter-of-factly, _nobody else is as emotional and foolish as me_. "That's good for you both, I guess. Why aren't you thinking of having kids?"

Konata froze for a second; Kagami only noticed because she had known her so well. "Oh, I haven't told you yet? I can't have children."

Kagami gasped. "What? Why? You mean…"

"Yeah… I knew since I was eighteen or so, but I got used to it. Takeo wasn't happy, but I guess he's come to terms with that too." Konata took another casual gulp. "If we want kids, we'll figure something out, but not yet."

"Oh. I had no idea… Sorry I asked…" Kagami was looking at Konata with genuine shock, her own problem completely forgotten for a moment.

Konata simply laughed and waved her tiny hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that either. It's not like it's a secret or something."

"I see… Thanks for telling me anyway." Kagami dropped her stare and took another small sip before looking at Konata again. "I heard Yutaka had some problems too?"

"Yeah. She barely survived giving birth to her girl... And the doctors say she can't have any more. But she says she's fine with just one, and I'm glad our genes will be preserved for the generations to come!"

"I hope she doesn't inherit too much from your father's side."

"You would have a point here Kagamin, if it was a boy. A girl otaku is totally okay."

"No. It's not!"

* * *

Konata left just after midnight, staggering visibly on her way towards the lift. Her small-framed body was obviously unaccustomed to binge drinking, but she didn't seem to mind at the moment, giving hearty goodbyes to her old friend. Kagami herself was not only heavier, but also much more used to alcohol, so she was only mildly intoxicated from the three beers she had drunk during the evening. She gazed out of the open window to make sure that Konata got into the taxi safely, but she also wanted to clear her head.

Konata's unexpected visit made her feel much better, but didn't exactly solve the problem. Now she was alone in her apartment again and she needed to think clearly. She needed to use Konata's support to get through this, even if she had no idea how at the moment. She needed to be decisive and energetic, so she needed to sober first.

She decided to start with washing those damn dishes. Her dishwasher had been broken for two months and since she had never gotten around to get it fixed. She filled one part of the sink with warm, soapy water and started wiping the plates and pots with a sponge until they sparkled visibly. This activity immediately evoked an image of Tsukasa, happily going around her business around the kitchen in their family house; it was a painful reminiscence.

Kagami finished her task as fast as she could and told herself yet again that she needed to get a hold of herself. She knew that she needed some rest and that morning would be wiser than evening. She wiped the table surface with the same sponge, then brushed her teeth in the bathroom and left for her bedroom, unbuttoning her shirt along the way.

The dark room brought another sudden wave of anxiety, this time darker and warmer, but she decided to simply ignore this feeling; she was too tired to care. The weariness combined with the alcohol did their job: as soon as she undressed and got into bed, she felt her consciousness drifting away before she could even put her pajamas on. She was asleep within a few minutes.

* * *

Kagami awoke with a gasp. It was still dark, she was trembling and covered in hot sweat. Again, her mind was filled with Tsukasa: her presence, her caresses, her smell and her heart-tearing moans of pleasure. The dream was so incredibly real that Kagami could still feel its grip on her mind, and for a moment she had trouble with discerning those vivid images from the reality. She wasn't sure, but she suspected she had climaxed recently; she also noticed that her hand was nestled deep between her thighs, just below her womanhood.

Kagami fumbled for a cigarette and lit it, waiting for her heart to calm down. The alarm clock was showing 03:42; the darkest moment of night, before even the earliest birds woke up. Again, the air seemed strangely hot and oppressive, just like that evening when she had called Tsukasa. No sound could be heard except for occasional cars on the distant motorway.

Kagami felt like she was the only person in the world right now, but at the same time she had an impression that she was being watched. She knew that feeling; it had always been with her whenever she felt that she had done something wrong, her inner policewoman acting as the society's representative inside her mind. Kagami promptly ignored it; she knew perfectly well that she was due a punishment and it wouldn't be just scolding.

All in all, Kagami knew that she was all alone — and the feeling seemed stronger than ever before. She knew her family genuinely loved her, and the re-established friendship with Konata was something she was thankful for, but she was still alone with her thoughts and feelings. There was nobody in the whole world who could help her with that, nobody who would take the burden off her shoulders. It was a deadly trap she fell into, a place of despair and solitude, and what awaited her and those she loved was only misery, no matter where she would go.

Kagami threw her sheet aside and sat on the edge of her bed, her naked body surrounded by the smoke from her cigarette. She felt like she was about to implode, collapse on herself from the terrible weight she felt on her back. She suddenly knew she could never be happy; her happiness was Tsukasa and Tsukasa alone. It was like staring in the eye of death itself : she was walking, breathing and talking, but her real life had already ended forever.

Kagami felt a tear running down her cheek. "Tsukasa... If I could only be with you. It's the only thing I want, to be with you forever. To hold you and love you... forever", she whispered in the darkness.

"_Is it really what you want?_"

Kagami's eyes darted around in alarm. She instinctively grabbed a pillow to cover herself, but there was nobody in the room; it was dark and empty like before. Still, the air was actually quite hot, and it seemed to push against her skin from all sides.

"_What is your wish? Tell me and I shall grant it_", she heard again.

Kagami gave a little gasp. This voice... It was somehow distant, but she could hear it well. It sounded a bit like... Tsukasa? No, not exactly... But close...

Kagami's eyes shifted to the tall mirror. She was getting really frightened, but her body was numb from the despair. Some invisible force made her put the pillow back, stand up and approach the reflecting glass.

What she saw was herself — naked and complete with lit cigarette — but at the same time it looked like someone marginally _different_. The eyes that were looking her were unusually calm and seemed bottomless; the gaze itself could make one shiver.

"_Do not be afraid, Hiiragi Kagami_", said the reflection; her voice, eerie and powerful, seemed to come from everywhere in the room. "_Tell me your deepest desire and I shall help you._"

Kagami blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes to get the tears out of them. She had no idea what was going on, but somehow she felt it was _right_. This reflection had asked her a simple question, and Kagami felt the need to respond. "I... I..." She took a deep breath. "I just want to be together with Tsukasa..."

The Kagami-like being in the mirror only smiled, the orange light from her cigarette making her features appear wild and almost demonic. And then the world disintegrated.

Suddenly, Kagami felt her body being stretched and turned inside out. She screamed and collapsed, but there was no floor to stop her fall. She was falling through some black, bottomless abyss, unable to see or hear anything, even her own scream. She was flailing and kicking, but there was nothing around her, not even air. _Do I still exist?_, she briefly thought to herself. _I feel nothing... What was I...?_

* * *

Kagami woke up with a scream. She felt reality hit her like a bullet train, forcing upon her input from the billions of cells in her body. She was panting heavily, waiting for her heart to calm enough to start moving. _God, what a nightmare_, she thought. _I need a smoke, quickly... And maybe a drink too._

Kagami sat on the edge of the bed and reached for her cigarettes, but her hand only found empty space where her bedside table should be. She looked around in confusion and her eyes widened in surprise.

She was sitting at the edge of a single bed, facing a small desk and an old office chair. It was dark, but she could clearly see pencils and other small accessories that were neatly arranged on its working surface. To the right was a large wardrobe and a chest of drawers, while on the left she could see a window and a bookshelf containing a small collection of CDs and light novels. An old-fashioned electronic alarm clock was showing 01:34. This mundane environment was incredibly familiar, imprinted in her memories even stronger than her own flat. Still, it was impossible: this room, or at least this incarnation of it, did not exist anymore.

Confused, Kagami stood up to have a closer look on the all-too-familiar wallpaper and felt a delicate brush on her shoulders and back. Thinking of spider webs, she panicked and grabbed the tickling mass trying to tear it off, but this has resulted in a sharp pain in her scalp.

Kagami stopped in place and looked at herself. Yes, that really was her hair, falling down almost to her waist just like in her school days. But there was more: her body looked and felt slightly different than normal, not as strong but at the same time healthier and more energetic. Her skin was almost flawless and her hips had a little more flesh on them than she liked... But all this didn't seem totally unfamiliar: she somehow remembered looking exactly like that.

The final realisation came to her when she looked to the side and saw what was hanging on the door of the wardrobe: a school uniform, exactly the same as she remembered from her times in the Ryōō High School.

"Oh no", she whispered aloud, "you gotta be fucking kidding me."


	4. Past Perfect

Sorry this chapter took so long, I was distracted by both the real life and participating in fan fiction challenges (see my profile for details). And it's not very long either, but hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway.

Thanks for all your reviews, I want more! And also regards to Shadowfox026, who keeps this story readable.

* * *

_5__th__ July 2007, Tokyo_

Kagami looked around again, still unable to believe what had happened. Not only was she in the room that had not existed for years, but she also had the body of a teenager. She could tell that the sensation was genuine and not an effect of hallucinations or drugs, since everything looked so _normal_: the furniture, the carpet, the uniform hanging in the corner, the mirror…

The mirror. It wasn't as tall and impressive as _that_ one, but it was hanging on the wall just like it always had been, since she had moved in when she was eight. It was hanging a bit low since she had been shorter when she started using it, but it was big enough to be still comfortable to a near-adult. Kagami felt a wave of rage and fear that was already building up inside her and stormed towards the mirror, looking her reflection right in the eyes.

"W… what does it mean?" she meant to hiss menacingly, but her voice was too shaky for the effect she hoped for. "What did you do? Take me back this instant!"

The Other Kagami did not appear before her this time, but her voice could be heard clearly, although it seemed eerily distant. "_You told me your wish, and I granted it. That is all. There is nothing left to do._"

"What? I didn't wish for this! Send me back now!" Kagami didn't actually shout, anxious that she might wake up someone in the house, but her voice was furious.

"_You don't want that, do you?_" came a cold response. "_What you really want is a world where you can be with Tsukasa. It was impossible back then, but not here. She's sleeping in the next room. Go and take her._"

Terror overcame Kagami's senses. "No… you can't…! I don't…!"

"_That's enough. Stop being a crybaby and be honest with yourself_", said the voice in Kagami's head, seemingly unperturbed by her emotions. "_This is what you wanted, this is where you are. This is all._"

Kagami tore herself from the mirror, unable to withstand this terrible presence. It wasn't just fear of suddenly waking up alone in a different world, or from the contact with an impossible being; the worst thing was that this horrifying goddess was somehow familiar to Kagami. The longer she knew her, the more she felt like this terrible woman had always lingered in the back of her own head. Kagami didn't know exactly who she was, but she surely wasn't someone who leant her ears to pleas.

The now-teenager felt that she should be crying and screaming in terror, but her eyes somehow remained dry and her thoughts seemed dull but otherwise perfectly calm. She had to see this place with her own eyes, to assess her situation better. Yet, she realized, she was still naked; she couldn't go out like this. The only piece of clothing in sight was her school uniform, so she automatically touched its fabric, then remembering that she still needed panties. She found a bunch of them in their usual place in the drawer, took the ones that were on top — they were white, like almost all of them — and put them on, followed by the fuku. Once she was ready, she didn't think of looking in the mirror. Instead she quietly opened the door and peeked outside. Despite the initial shock, something was actually pulling her towards that lost, long-forgotten world and she knew what… or who… was calling her particularly clearly.

The corridor was plunged in almost complete darkness, making it nigh impossible to recognise the doors to her sisters' rooms — with the exception of her _favourite_ sister's, where a thin line of light was visible underneath. _Is she still awake?_ Kagami thought briefly, but immediately remembered that young Tsukasa had been afraid of the dark sometimes and slept with her nightlight on, even after she grew out of such childish fears. Kagami suddenly felt moved about how fragile and adorable her sister was, how much she had always needed protection from her _oniichan_ and how easy it was to love her.

Unable to resist, Kagami silently approached the door. Craving just one look at Tsukasa, she opened it as stealthily as possible and stuck her head inside. Tsukasa's room was exactly the same as she remembered: a desk just like her own was littered with papers and stationery, stuffed animals were sitting here and there, and several articles of clothing were hanging on the chair, probably to be used tomorrow. There also was a bed, very similar to Kagami's, where Tsukasa was sound asleep.

Kagami quietly moved towards the bed, her eyes not leaving her sister's sleeping form even for a second. Tsukasa was covered up to her neck, with just one arm laying on top of her blanket. Her short, unruly hair was covering a part of her face, only showing one round, cute cheek and small lips. Surely she was in high school too, but in her peaceful sleep she didn't look older than fourteen.

Tsukasa was so unbelievably beautiful that Kagami was immediately brought close to tears. She wanted to reach to her sister, stroke her hair and kiss her forehead to bring her happy dreams, but she didn't dare to make a move. An awful thought held her in place: it dawned on her that if it was wrong to love Tsukasa this way before, it would have been even worse to feel it now, when Tsukasa was so young. A series of images flashed through her brain, images of how much pain and unbearable shame she might cause her little sister if she couldn't control herself. Although seeing her sweet Tsukasa sleeping like this was almost too much to bear, she forced herself to tear away from the bed and escape back to her dark room.

Kagami closed the door to her bedroom a bit louder than it was acceptable at this hour, but she was too distressed to care. Breathing heavily, she leaned across the door, squeezing her eyes tightly at what was swirling in her mind. Whenever she thought of what she had done to Tsukasa then — what she still _could_ do to her now — she was overcome by dread and self-loathing. She realised that she was a terrible danger to her beloved sister, and that there was nobody else to protect Tsukasa.

Having realised that, Kagami made a decision. She approached her desk and with one sure move grabbed a pair of scissors from the drawer. They were sharp and pointed, suitable for cutting hard paper and even cloth. Kagami approached the mirror again, hoping that her doppleganger would appear, but all she could see was her own reflection.

"I know you are in there. Show yourself."

No answer came. She could only see her own face, scissors shining in her hand menacingly.

"I figured out your secret. In some way you are me, right?"

There was still no response, but Kagami felt a spark of interest from somewhere outside her mind.

"You are me and that means you need me. Being me back, or I'll kill myself." Kagami brought the tip of the scissors to her throat, biting her lip nervously.

"_No, you won't do that_" the voice finally said.

"Yes I will!" Kagami's hands were trembling, but she painfully pushed the tip deeper into her skin, almost piercing it. It hurt.

"_Don't be silly_" answered the voice with no trace of distress. "_If you really do it, what do you think is going to happen? You will be found in the morning by your parents and sisters, including Tsukasa. They will find you, cold and pale, laying in a pool of blood. Dead. How do you think they will feel then? Is this what you want?_"

Defeated, Kagami dropped the scissors and turned around, tears of frustration and anger finally fighting their way out of her eyes. She felt so powerless, and she knew it was her own fault. If she weren't such a pervert, Tsukasa wouldn't be put in danger and Kagami herself would live peacefully many years from now, unperturbed by the mirror demon.

"Then what should I do?" she asked dully, trying to hide her distress.

"_You were brought here because you felt alone and left out. If you manage to satisfy these enormous needs, your destiny in this place will be fulfilled_" answered the voice. Then its presence suddenly began to fade, vanishing into nothingness in just a few seconds.

Kagami was now truly alone in the darkness, still standing with her back to the mirror. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, but she didn't care; the only thing she could think of was that she somehow became lost in time because of how abnormal her feelings were. She knew she was dangerous and despicable, but she could do nothing about it, not even kill herself. She was completely powerless.

_No!_ something exclaimed inside her; not a demon, but another part of her, the one that always kept her going. Kagami realised that she had to pull herself together in order to go through this, and that there must be a way out of here if she took her time to think about it. Otherwise it would be too… too… unfair.

_It is unfair… But there is no way out!_ she thought, barely keeping her despair at bay. _There must be something I can do. Or someone I can ask for help. My God… I'm so lonely._

Minutes passed, and Kagami was sitting in the dark. No matter how long she pondered this, she kept returning to the same conclusion, her only hope. She tried to avoid this, to save herself a shred of decency, but she realised she wouldn't be able to win this battle, either. And she needed to tell someone about it… Badly.

_Oh what the hell_, she thought with a mental shrug, _I can't stand it any longer. I'll call her. Yes, I'll call her__…__ I told her once, so I can do it again_.

Her cell phone was charging up next to the alarm clock. She picked it up and choose the right number without hesitation. _I hope she's not too upset about me calling at this hour_, she thought absurdly, but the person on the other side picked up immediately.

"Hello Kagamin, what's up?" she heard a familiar voice.

"Hi, Konata… Umm, I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"Nah, I'm still online. Wow, it's getting really late, are you playing too?"

"Er… no. Konata, we need to talk."

"Talk? That sounds serious. All right, I'm all ears."

"Good. You see, I…" Kagami hesitated; she had no idea how to say it, but she knew it was too late to back off. "Look, I know it's gonna sound really weird. I'm calling you, because you're the only person in the whole world that can believe me."

There was silence on the other end of the line. Finally Konata uttered, "Kagamin… I would never, ever have thought you have such great confidence in me. I'm totally speechless…"

At first Kagami wasn't sure whether Konata was serious or just messing with her as usual, but then she decided that Konata might indeed have been touched; she probably had never been told anything like this. "Right…" she paused here, unsure of how to proceed. "Well, it involves a, what do you call it, time travel plot" she added flatly.

"Uh, what do you mean…?" There was a hint of confusion in Konata's voice, but no actual dismissal.

"Well, let me start with something else… I… slept with Tsukasa."

"Right. What does it… Wait… You mean…?"

"Yeah. I had…" Kagami took a quick look around to confirm that the door was indeed closed, "I had sex with Tsukasa. Recently."

The silence on the other side was considerably longer than usual. "Is this… your new sense of humour, Kagamin?"

"I wish it was." She found herself almost smiling ironically.

"With… your… cute, slightly-younger twin sister?"

"You don't have to put it this way!"

"Wow… I'd never have thought you'd do something like… this." Konata's voice was full of shock mixed with something like awe. Her older version had called it "an almost religious experience" and this one obviously wasn't much different.

"Yeah, me neither." Kagami sighed. "Still we've done it, and it was in the future, we were almost thirty. Then I felt bad about it… but it was so good…" Suddenly describing her feelings to Konata seemed rather easy, if embarassing. "And then my reflection in the mirror spoke to me and sent me here, back to my past, so that I could be with Tsukasa. And it looks like I'm a damn teenager again!"

Konata didn't utter a word, so Kagami continued, "I didn't want that. I want to go back… I don't belong here, even though it's my fault." She hesitated. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

Konata's voice was dead serious as she replied, "You know, Kagamin, if it was someone else, I might thought there's something wrong with them. But you… There's no way you'd make it up."

"Uh thanks, I guess…"

"And that means… that means something awesome has happened!" Konata's voice suddenly rose to dramatic heights, like she'd just made a decision to celebrate. "It's just like in anime! There's time travel, and forbidden love, and magic… That's, like, unbelievable!"

"Yeah, last time you said something similar. I mean, in the future."

"We've talked in the future? What do we do there?"

"Uh, I don't know if I should talk about that…"

"Oh yeah, right. Time paradoxes and so on, I understand. Anyway… You did it with Tsukasa, mmm? And then your guardian angel or something sent you here for more?"

"Don't be so blunt! But yes, it appears to… be the case."

"Wow, you talk like Yuki-chan now. So… what are you gonna do about it?"

_My god, this girl is a straightforward one_, thought Kagami. "Well… I don't know. That's why I'm calling you of all people!"

"I see." Konata sounded pensive now; not for the first time Kagami wondered if her best friend's mind operated in a fashion even vaguely similar to normal peoples'. "But what do you want to do? You're going to do it with Tsukasa again?"

"No, I can't! I mean… That would be bad! I wouldn't do something like this to her…"

"I see, it's complicated. I guess we can think of it as some sort of dramatic plot, with lots of impossible choices."

Kagami decided to play along, hoping it would bring some fruit. "Okay then, what would happen in this kind of plot if it was some anime?"

"Hmm…" Konata paused for a few seconds. "Well, there's this girl who has this thing for her sister, right? And she is sent back in time as punishment, or at least she thinks so. So she doesn't know what to do, and does various things to get back home, some of them stupid or dangerous. But finally she realises she is only looking for love! And love she finds."

"Hmm. So you mean that I need… love?" This sounded painfully plausible, but at the same time unbelievably cheesy.

"Yeah. The simplest answer, but the least obvious one is usually the right one."

Kagami took a few seconds to digest the last sentence, one of those peculiar expressions Konata had always been so fond of. "Well… I think I get it, but it's rather blurry, isn't it? Am I supposed to hold hands with somebody, or, I don't know, kiss them? Make them say they love me, but without telling them why I want them to? Isn't it… a bit fairy-tale-ish?"

"You're right Kagamin, it shouldn't be that ambiguous in a modern story. I think love should be consumed…"

"Consumed? You want me to get laid?"

"Wow. That's not a choice of words I'd expect from you, Kagamin… I guess you really did mature."

"Are… Are you sure? About that solution, I mean."

"Well, it sort of makes sense. Sex is considered a rite of passage anyway, nobody can stay the same person afterwards."

_Yes, it actually makes sense, if anything does_, thought Kagami. "Well, maybe, in some weird way. It certainly won't hurt to try… I mean, it might be the only way out…" _Did I just say that?_

"Er, would you have someone specific in mind?"

"What? No! I mean, how would I? I've just arrived here…"

"All right then, we'll talk about it tomorrow. I'm really excited, but such talks must take place at school! So good night."

"School? What school?"

oooOOOooo

Despite her young body, Kagami felt pretty worn out. She hadn't had much sleep last night, immersed in those black yet exciting thoughts. It wasn't just about what Konata said, it was about this whole crazy reality she had suddenly woken up to. At least the enormous stress helped with keeping Tsukasa off her mind. Mostly.

Kagami managed to stumble through her morning easier than she thought possible; she went to the bathroom, rearranged her sailor uniform (she hadn't bothered to take it off), and even had quick breakfast with Tsukasa and her parents. Seeing Miki and Tadao in their relatively young age was rather shocking, but she played her part well and finally got onto the morning train with her sister with no incidents.

Thick morning fog was swirling behind the window, adding to the surreal ambience lingering in their compartment. Kagami glanced at Tsukasa, who was sitting right beside her, still half-asleep. Despite the mixed odours of the train, Kagami could smell Tsukasa's shampoo, but she was too tired get excited. It felt very nice though.

For the millionth time, she asked herself how exactly it all had happened. _Am I special? Or do such things happen regularly, they just aren't reported, because nobody would believe such stories? No, that doesn't seem right, there would be some rumours at the very least. On the other hand, it would be a good explanation for why there are so many nutcases around the world._

In that very moment, Kagami suddenly felt that she didn't want to become one of them. _I can do it. I'll find a way out. I'll have a successful day and overcome any obstacle, like I always have. If necessary, I'll find a… mate… And I'll make sure Tsukasa would be proud of me._ Kagami smiled faintly to herself. _So now I think of Tsukasa like she was some kind of goddess. Oh well, why the hell not._

The train was rocking her rather pleasantly, and she could feel Tsukasa's warm body right next to hers. Kagami decided that she may have worried too much, and that it would all work out somehow. She needed to catch some breath after all that craziness. _It won't hurt to rest for a moment… I have an entire day of school ahead of me after all…_

Kagami's slumber was interrupted by gentle prodding. "Sis, we need to hurry! It's already our stop!"

"Gah!" Startled, Kagami started looking around franticly, trying to remember where she was and at the same time gather her belongings as quickly as she could. Tsukasa observed her with a somewhat uncertain expression; what she was seeing clearly wasn't an everyday occurrence.


	5. The Wild Child

As always, sorry for taking so long with this chapter. As you can see, I am still determined to continue with this story.

Many thanks to Shadowfox026 for proofreading this. Mikeru-D too.

* * *

_5__th__ July 2007, Tokyo_

Still drained by stress and lack of sleep, Kagami entered the school grounds on autopilot, in her current state unable to fittingly appreciate this nostalgic moment. Only The sight of Konata in the changing room knocked Kagami out of her zombie state.

"Good morning, Kona-chan!", Tsukasa chirped, taking her shoes off.

"Yo, Tsukasa!" the bluenette responded with her usual laid-back attitude, but her eyes darted to Kagami and she gave a suspiciously natural smile. "And how are you today, Kagamin? After all, the weather's gone bad, I think it'll be raining today."

"Yeah…" Kagami's ever-present inner voice told her to get it together. "I hope it's not going to rain. I forgot my umbrella this morning. But it's awfully early for you to be here, Konata."

"I felt like something meaningful might happen at school today!" exclaimed Konata with the same too-natural smile. She glanced at her cell phone and immediately switched to her usual expression. "Actually, it's not that early at all, so we should be going already. Oh, here's Yuki-chan too."

Kagami barely managed to say hello to the flustered Miyuki, who for some reason was almost late for school and nearly fell on her butt when changing shoes, only saved by Kagami's fast reaction. A minute later she, Konata and Tsukasa headed to their classroom. As Kagami was staring at the trio wistfully, Konata looked back and mouthed: _talk to you at lunch_.

Already in her indoor shoes, Kagami summoned her resolve. _This had better work._

During her short walk to the classroom, Kagami began her mental preparations. _No matter how you look at it, it looks like I need someone to have sex with. Geez, I feel like in some badly scripted porn movie… Not that I don't enjoy porn from time to time, but from this perspective it looks much more complicated… Shit, do I sound like Konata now? Well, I need to at least consider my options._

Just like everything else in this old-new reality, her classroom was both alien and familiar, since those years of adult life put everything in a different perspective. Her classmates were already assembled, chatting among themselves or simply preparing for their morning class. Some of them glanced at her and nod curtly, so she responded with the same gesture.

As Kagami was approaching her desk, she was already searching for an appropriate target. She wasn't interested in anyone in particular, and the boys could be ruled out as far as she was concerned. Her eyes darted to her oldest friends: there was Ayano sitting by the wall, a nice person but not exactly Kagami's type, and in front of her sat Misao.

This girl made Kagami stop and look more closely. When they had attended school together, Kagami thought that Misao looked like a little animal: she was not only fanged, but also had a wild and mischievous character, always full of energy. Still, looking at her right now as an experienced adult, Kagami thought she had been wrong; this Misao wasn't a little animal at all. Sure, she seemed carefree and childish at times, but the way she was sitting there, continuously watching her surroundings… was surprisingly mature and purposeful. In her eyes there was a hint of confidence, vigilance and presence. _Was I blind to these qualities?_ thought Kagami. _I guess she's much more mature than I thought… And she has really nice body._

"Good morning, Hiiragi!" said Misao, seemingly untroubled by Kagami's slightly longer-than-normal gaze.

"Oh right, good morning," answered Kagami, mentally scolding herself for openly checking out her classmate. She proceeded to sit at her desk, exchanging pleasant nods with Ayano.

A moment later the teacher arrived and Kagami's thoughts switched to the lesson. But she kept glancing at Misao from time to time, wondering how much Kagami's outlook on women had changed in her adult life.

oooOOOooo

What Kagami found the most surprising about school was that it was actually _interesting_. When she had been an ordinary high school student, she was diligent and even liked some of her subjects, but the school in general was a chore like any other, only more important. But right now she was actually having fun hearing about chemistry processes involving esters; it was a bit like a documentary, and certainly more fun than sitting through the horrible company meetings that everyone detested. Of course, the novelty combined with not actually caring about grades was a big factor, but Kagami was feeling pretty energetic by lunchtime. Even her sleepiness seemed to be mostly gone, which she attributed to her young and resilient body.

Kagami was the very first person to leave the classroom for lunch, preparing herself for the conspiracy talk with Konata. She briefly wondered how to separate her accomplice from the rest of her friends, but she saw the bluenette waiting on her in the main hall already.

"Finally! Now we have like fifteen minutes, so we'd better hurry," Konata decided.

"All right…" Kagami wasn't sure how to begin.

"Not here! We need to find a more suitable place. I think behind the locker room should be fine."

"Uh, isn't this a place for… secret meetings?"

"Yeah, that one. It might rain any moment now, so hopefully it'll be deserted."

"Okay…" Kagami sighed. "I have P.E. next anyway. But if anyone thinks something weird about us, then it's your fault."

"Behind the locker room" was a place commonly used by couples for awkward kissing, dramatic declarations and similar endeavours. It was mostly hidden from view by the gymnasium and one short wing of the school building, but still looked quite nice thanks to a single flowerpot filled with purplish violets. Despite all the years that had passed, Kagami still felt uncomfortable with being alone here with someone else, but that feeling quickly turned into amusement at her own immaturity.

"So," said Konata in her calm but business-like voice. "Have you decided on anything?"

"Yes, I think so," Kagami nodded. "I think your theory may be correct, and even if it's not, I should give it a try anyway." She finished the sentence with a slightly disgusted expression, but Konata wasn't fooled.

"My Kagamin goes hunting then!" she declared, obviously taking pleasure in expressing the uncomfortable truth.

"Ha ha, very funny," said Kagami, but didn't try to deny it. "Since we've established that I'm a pervert, can we talk about the details please? I wouldn't be talking about it if I didn't want your help."

"All right! Okay then… Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Well… I'm not really sure yet…"

"How about Yuki-chan? She's nice and soft, and has huge boobs. And she's so moé that it shouldn't be that hard."

"Oh, I don't know… I like and admire her, but never really understood her that well. I wouldn't be comfortable around her…" Kagami started blushing.

"I see… Well, then maybe Ayano?"

"No. Ayano has a boyfriend, I would hate to complicate her love life for my selfish reasons. And I really don't think she's into girls to begin with."

"Then who do you think would be right?" pressed Konata, obviously excited but maintaining a professional appearance.

Kagami only thought for a short moment. "Misao. She's pretty relaxed and likes doing crazy things, so she should be relatively easy to ask for a date. And she's pretty good-looking too."

Konata grimaced a little; her minor but unwavering dislike towards the tanned girl was no secret to Kagami. "All right, then let it be her. Now we need to think of the fastest way to trigger as many flags as possible."

"Hey, hold it Konata. I'm sure you want to be helpful but… don't do anything rash, okay? I mean, I'll handle it myself… somehow." Kagami felt her cheeks getting a bit rosy.

Fortunately, Konata just gave her a thumbs up. "Sure, Kagamin! Give it your best. And remember, whenever you need my expertise, let me know and I'll think of something." Her intensely green eyes flashed with resolve. "I'll be there for you, always." Then she simply turned and started going back towards the school, her ahoge nodding rhythmically. The conversation was over.

Later on, Kagami wondered why Konata left her in such a vulnerable state, leaving so many opportunities for mockery. She was too surprised and flustered to care at the time; having heard this unexpectedly deep and honest declaration, she only exclaimed "thank you, Kona-chan!" in what probably was her most cheerful voice in years.

And while she was walking back, Konata tripped on the stairs. She gave Kagami a weird look and disappeared inside.

_She tripped_, thought Kagami, momentarily frozen to the spot. _She never trips._

oooOOOooo

While Kagami's interest in her subjects taught at school was renewed, she felt the dizziness return in the afternoon. During her history lesson, she found herself more interested in Kuroi-sensei's curvatures than the course of the Russian-Japanese War and its consequences. _She's about my age_, she thought, _and I used to think she was old. Scary. Besides, she's actually very hot…_

The sight was nice and the lecture far from boring, but to Kagami the teacher's voice seemed more and more distant and monotonous, finally dissolving completely into a blissful silence. It was yet another improbable thing that had happened recently: Kagami fell asleep in class.

She only woke up after Kuroi gently shook her shoulder. Kagami blinked and saw that the lesson has come to an end.

"Hey, Hiiragi. Are you okay?" Kuroi-sensei sounded more worried than angry. "You fell asleep, and this isn't like you at all."

"Oh… I'm so sorry…" Kagami bowed her head, genuinely ashamed. "I didn't get enough sleep… I promise it won't happen again!"

Kuroi looked her over. "Studying a lot, huh? That's okay, but you should take care of yourself too. It's no use if it makes you pass out in school, you know."

"Yes. I'm sorry, I'll be careful. Goodbye, sensei." Kagami bowed and turned to leave, stealing one last glance at Kuroi's nice body. Kuroi was still looking at her incredulously, but only nodded in response.

As Kagami was going down to the gym for P.E., the last class of the day, she was struck with a terrible realization: she didn't have a bra. She didn't think of putting it on after she dressed in the middle of the night, and now it was becoming a problem quickly. Something had to be done.

Kagami was too preoccupied to panic over something trivial like this, and her recent experiences were quite helpful in distancing herself from inconvenient details. Instead of fretting over her lack of lingerie, her mind instantly switched to solving the problem and possibly profiting from the situation, like a _kaishain_, a diligent corporate worker, should do.

By the time she reached the changing rooms, Kagami's plans had been formulated. Just as she had hoped, the door was still locked and her classmates were already gathering outside, talking or just sitting idly. As she had hoped, Misao was here already, talking to her best friend Ayano and generally looking unoccupied.

Kagami mustered her courage — she had a great deal of experience with that — and casually approached the two. She felt her heat racing, was it nervousness or something else entirely? She managed to remain calm and composed, and if some nervousness was showing, it wouldn't be to her disadvantage.

"Uh, Kusakabe? May I have a moment?"

Misao blinked. "Sure, Hiiragi, what's up?"

"I'd… I'd like a word with you. Is it okay, Minegishi?"

"Sure." Ayano's response was to the point, but as always punctuated with a smile.

Kagami dragged the curious Misao aside. "Umm, you see… I have a problem."

"Yeah?" Misao was apparently confused; it wasn't normal behaviour from the distant, self-sustaining Hiiragi. She didn't seem too stressed about it though. "What's that, Hiiragi?"

Kagami didn't mind her face going a bit red. Actually, it could work to her advantage. "Well, I… kinda forgot my bra this morning, and we have P.E. coming up… I wonder if you would, er… have a spare or something…"

Kagami expected Misao to look at her weirdly, or perhaps laugh at her, but Misao did something Kagami didn't anticipate: she gave a long, thoughtful look. After a few seconds, Kagami opened her mouth to ask what she was thinking about, but before she was able to speak, Misao patted her shoulders and grinned.

"Wait here! I'll be back!" she exclaimed and just… ran off. Kagami could only follow her with her eyes, uncertain of what had just happened, but Misao disappeared in a flash, the sound of her running feet fading away. Kagami glanced at Minegishi, but Ayano only smiled with her eyes. _Oh, so she doesn't know either, and probably doesn't want to._

Kagami took her place among the chattering girls. It wasn't really that hard; they didn't seem to notice her much, or at least didn't expect her to join their conversations. Kagami wondered whether she should be offended or relieved, but ultimately decided to play along. She sat down on a bench and took out her notes, determined to look busy.

After a while, bell rang and people started filing into the changing room, chatting excitedly or groaning about the impending physical effort. As the last of them were making their way inside, Kagami, worried, looked around, but there was no trace of Misao anywhere.

Three minutes later, just when sitting by the door and listening to the voices inside was getting really uncomfortable, Kagami heard the sound of running feet. The rapidly approaching person was none other than Misao, who was smiling and gripping a small plastic bag.

The brunette skidded to a halt, visibly warmed up but not winded at all, and pushed the bag into Kagami's hands. "Here! Problem solved!"

"Uh… what's this…?"

"A bra, duh. That's what you said you needed, right?"

The bag indeed contained a small package, with a picture of a white brassiere on it. It was a sporty type, and the size looked just right. It had obviously been bought a moment ago.

"Wow, Kusakabe… You're actually awesome, you know that?" said Kagami, looking up at her classmate.

Misao blinked with slight surprise, but allowed herself to smile. "Hehe, thanks."

"Uh, so… I think we should go inside, don't you?"

"Yeah, they'll start without us! Come on, Hiiragi, undress faster!"

"Er… Could you please turn around first?"

oooOOOooo

As it turned out, Kagami indeed had been in better shape back in the future than now, in her late teens. She had forgotten that their P.E. teacher was a thoroughly dedicated woman, whose main objective was to prepare the youth for the burdens of their adult lives. The preparations were often rather intense, and Kagami's body really needed some work. As well as losing a few kilograms.

Back in the changing room, she allowed herself a bit of rest before heading for the showers. All of her muscles were throbbing and twitching, which made her walk rather unsteady, so she plopped on a bench and swiped her face with her own t-shirt, temporarily unable to go and get her handkerchief. She was surrounded by a dozen of other girls from her class, most of whom were in a state similar to hers.

This of course did not alter Kagami's objective. Misao was sweaty and flustered, but her energy reserves seemed far from spent; despite her red cheeks and completely wet hair, she was radiating satisfaction. "That was a good match, guys!" she called. "Nice serves there, Ayano! Oh, and Hiiragi, thanks for those passes at the beginning, they really helped us get through!"

Ayano smiled her usual smile. Normally Kagami would only nod, but because it was Misao who said so, she said "Yeah, thanks, Kusakabe. You were great with those spikes too!"

"Hehe, it wasn't anything that great really. You should have seen my brother! Oh well, time to hit the showers, see you later." Misao grabbed her towel, slapped it against her shoulder and headed towards the bathroom.

A moment later, Kagami also had hot water cleansing her body and relaxing her muscles. It felt as great as every time before, whenever she returned from her long runs along the Arakawa. It made her feel like she was doing something for herself, something that not only would make her stronger, but also made her less conscious about herself: the stiff, studious, plain girl with little "awesome" element. She smiled a little at her own silliness, but more so at the recent memory of Misao, tired but as happy as a puppy after a long walk. _This girl is really something… I wonder what else she is capable of._ Kagami realised how creepy it would have sounded to anyone else, but she couldn't help thinking about what sort of plan she had for the brunette and how exciting it was becoming to her.

Properly dressed and dry, Kagami finally took action. She managed to catch up with Misao in the changing room before her orange-haired best friend. "Hey, Kusakabe."

"Oi, Hiiragi. What's up?" Misao seemed much more relaxed now, but still radiated contentment.

_It's now or never_, Kagami thought and finally opened her mouth. "You know Kusakabe, you really saved me back then… So I'd like to, uh, return the favour. Can I invite you for lunch after school? I know a nice place nearby."

"A lunch, huh?" Misao did not try to hide her surprise at the usually distant classmate inviting her out of the blue, but she didn't seem to care much. "Sure, why not," she smiled, showing her cute little fang. "Anyone else invited?"

_Does she mean Minegishi?_ Kagami thought. _I should have foreseen this, but I can't invite them both! I'll need to gamble here a bit, I hope Misao doesn't get angry._ "Uh, I'd rather go with just you… I wanted to talk to you a… little."

"Oh, okay." Misao gave her another surprised look; this one seemed a bit more serious, but certainly friendly. "See you after classes then!"

"Right. See you."

oooOOOooo

While heading for the school gates, Kagami asked herself whether she was nervous about the upcoming… date. After all, it was a small matter in comparison to what had already happened to her, not to mention that Misao was a fun, laid-back person who probably wouldn't hold anything against her, even if she screwed something up. Misao was also a pretty girl, not only athletic, but also quite charming and intriguing if one looked at her more closely, so the prospect of dating her made Kagami genuinely excited. She managed to keep control of her imagination, but she knew that Misao was already something more to her than she had been only a day earlier and that she was looking forward to spending time with her. But still… she was damn nervous.

However, when she saw Misao waving to her with a casual smile, she found her anxiety dissolving in moments. This girl was making it impossible to worry about herself: she was not only laid back, but also prone to make mistakes without getting embarrassed.

"Yo, Hiiragi!" she exclaimed as usual. "Thanks for waiting!"

"Don't worry, Kusakabe. Shall we get going?"

"Yeah, I'm starving! Where are we going to eat?"

"How about Utah Diner? It's not glamorous, but they serve good food." _Also, their popularity will skyrocket in a few years due to a contract with KyoAni._

"Fine with me!"

The Utah Diner was a rather popular place to lunch at, geared more towards solid meals than coffee and sweets. True to its name, it was aiming to mimic an American family restaurant with its plastic furniture and an Elvis Presley portrait painted on the back wall. This portrait would be replaced around 2015 with a picture of the entire cast of _Umiyuri High_, a wacky high school anime series that would become insanely popular where the chain was heavily advertised, but it was still almost five years before it would happen. It was a perfectly normal Japanese restaurant, if a little heavy on the menu.

As soon as they entered, they saw that the restaurant was rather busy, mostly filled with older people and some white collars. Misao immediately grabbed Kagami's hand and led her to a recently vacated table. Kagami blushed.

The next moment, Misao was studying the menu. "Wow, I'm really hungry now." She flashed a smile at Kagami. "Thanks for inviting me! I guess you're really generous, Hiiragi."

"Not really" said Kagami, returning a smile. "I'm just saying thanks. And I wanted to visit this place anyway," she improvised.

"Well, if you say so", Misao grinned toothily. "At least let me buy us drinks."

It was funny how after some years one remembers the strangest details more vividly than things that should be much more important. In this instance, Kagami couldn't remember even if her life depended on it what the name of Misao's brother was or what Misao gave her for her last birthday, but she remembered perfectly that the girl had a passion for meatballs that was particularly developed later, when Misao was a young adult and single. Not using this sort of knowledge would be plain idiotic. Kagami ordered a medium-sized plate of pasta with meatballs and a chicken salad for herself.

A couple of minutes later, her decision led to one very happy brunette and a slightly smiling girl with lilac twin tails and strangely mature eyes watching her classmate carefully. Misao greeted the food with enthusiasm, but she didn't devour it straight away; instead she happily nibbled at the meal, taking a piece of meat from here, a piece of green peppers there. Misao clearly was not a glutton, but a connoisseur of sorts, showing unique meticulousness in portioning the pleasure. This celebration of the simple act of eating made Kagami smile a bit more openly; yes, Misao was very easy to be misjudged at first glance.

It was only after the meal when they started talking again, sipping orange juice from tall glasses. Kagami was glad she wasn't very close to Misao, because catching up with her chatter would be difficult for someone from a different time. Misao told her of a movie she'd been to with Ayano not long ago, about the upcoming sports festival and her brother's failed attempt to hide the fact he was drunk, and how her grandfather thought it was funny. Kagami stuck to Misao's stories, not only because she couldn't think of anything else to say, but also because they were actually entertaining. _I should have been spending more time with her as a kid. Wait, that's what I'm doing right now… Except she definitely isn't a kid._

Kagami's lips tensed. Having lunch with Misao was fun, but she brought her here for a reason. She had to move forward somehow. Fortunately, Misao was rather inspiring. _It wouldn't be a bad thing to lick this tanned cheek_, she had thought and immediately went to disciplining herself, but finally this time she decided to let it go. _So I'm a pervert, it's hardly news. Let's worry about that later._

"Hey, Kusakabe. How about we go for a walk now? After all this stuff I feel like burning off some calories."

"A walk?" Misao blinked. "Sure! I wouldn't mind stretching my legs either."

Kagami paid for their meals and led her companion towards the exit. It was only around five p.m. and the sun had hidden behind the clouds for some time, but the air was warm because of the scorching asphalt and walls that were radiating heat. It was still better than a few hours ago, actually not a bad weather for a walk if you were lightly clothed. Well, Ryoo High summer uniforms had their advantages.

Misao stretched and yawned, only partially covering her mouth with her fingers. "Maaan, that was great. How did you know I liked these kinds of things?"

Kagami resisted the temptation to say 'I have my ways' because it was not only too close to the truth, but also a very lame response. Instead she smiled the way that she had a few times during meetings with middle-aged sales managers from other companies, something that in the business world was called _hormonal marketing_ and was used by almost all female negotiators on the market. "You mentioned it once when we were still in middle school, I think."

"That long ago? Gee, you have a good memory", Misao looked at Kagami with approval.

"I… I guess we were close enough for me to know such things," Kagami answered. _Well, it was rather pathetic… Or maybe it was the right thing to say? Damn, I wish I knew how to flirt properly! That would be kinda useful to me in the near future._

"Ah-ha!" Misao looked rather happy. "Sure we were! It's fun to hang around you anyway, we should have done it long ago. Ayano thinks so too…" Misao looked at the surrounding cars, people and buildings of late afternoon Kasukabe-shi. "Anyway, which way?"

"Why don't we go to the river? Should be cooler there."

"Okay, but you know, the river isn't too pretty around here. Mostly industrial installations and stuff…"

"That's okay, at least there won't be as many people there." _Hopefully not a single person._

"Fine with me. I don't mind industrial themes!"


End file.
